Susan grew up in the Quad Cities. Currently, she is an associate professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at Roosevelt University, Chicago. She teaches courses in instructional leadership, social foundations of education, theory and practice in educational leadership, and qualitative research. Before joining the university, Susan served as a speech/language clinician in clinics, hospitals, and schools, and then as a special education administrator in the Chicago area, in Western Illinois, and in Northwest Indiana. Her primary research interests include investigations into the work lives of women school superintendents, and issues of social justice in schools and communities. Susan's recent research includes a study designed to understand how professors in teacher and leader preparation programs teach, lead, and conduct service for social justice.